academics

The mission of the academic program is to prepare students for college and life as a creative professional.

Academic instructional environments encourage inquiry and intellectual curiosity and empower students to raise questions and develop a pattern of lifelong learning. Students enjoy small class sizes, multiple AP options, and innovative lessons taught by fully licensed teachers. Curriculum is active, collaborative, and aligned with state standards. Students self-select on-level or advanced and AP options.

HIGH STANDARDS

ASSESSMENTS
SPCPA measures student mastery of the standards through state and local assessments.
ALIGNED
The Saint Paul Conservatory for Performing Artists aligns with Minnesota K-12 Academic Standards in English, Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies.
PREPARED
Students engage daily in academic programming to meet graduation requirements, as determined by the state of Minnesota and Saint Paul Conservatory for Performing Artists, and prepare for the college or post-secondary conservatory program of their choice. All academic teachers hold licenses granted by the Minnesota Board of Teaching.
STUDENT-CENTERED
Students are given opportunities to drive their learning process. The focus of the activity in the classroom is on the student, not the teacher.
ACTIVE
Students learn through discussions, problem solving, case studies, role playing and other methods. Active learning approaches place a greater degree of responsibility on the learner than passive approaches such as lectures.
HANDS-ON
As much as possible, learning is experiential. Students learn by doing.
INQUIRY-BASED
“Live the questions now. Perhaps you will then gradually, without noticing it, live along some distant day into the answer” - Rainer Maria Rilke
PROBLEM SOLVING
Obstacles are inspiration.
THOUGHT PROVOKING
A primary purpose of the academic program is to stimulate deeper thinking and more sophisticated questions.
COLLABORATIVE
Students work together to consider questions, solve problems, and leverage the unique strengths and perspectives of each member of a group.
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quick links

Registration Resources

Students register with the Student Achievement Advisor every April. 
Four Year Academic Planning Guide
 

Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments

CLICK HERE for Minnesota Report Card including detailed MCA scores
 

Academic Course Guide

CLICK HERE for the 2024-2025 Academic Program Guide
 

Testing Information

CLICK HERE for the 24-25 academic year testing calendar.
CLICK HERE to view the MDE Parent/Guardian Guide and Refusal for Student Participation in Statewide Testing
 

ACADEMICS HAPPENINGS

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Fun weekend field trip for Ms. Basheer's AP Stats class (and some of Alec Rutten's AP Calc students) – they went bowling this past Saturday to collect data to demonstrate knowledge of their statistical concepts and to celebrate the end of the AP Statistics exam. Students want to test their hypotheses that having a long hand will make a player a better bowler. They created a 95% confidence interval and used a significance test or Chi-Square to test their hypotheses.

#spcpaacademics
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Fun weekend field trip for Ms. Basheers AP Stats class (and some of Alec Ruttens AP Calc students) - they went bowling this past Saturday to collect data to demonstrate knowledge of their statistical concepts and to celebrate the end of the AP Statistics exam. Students want to test their hypotheses that having a long hand will make a player a better bowler. They created a 95% confidence interval and used a significance test or Chi-Square to test their hypotheses.

#spcpaacademicsImage attachment

Juniors in AP Lang with Ms. Sekelsky celebrated the end of their unit with a Gatsby-themed party. The students shared their literary analysis projects and drank punch, listened to jazz, and played games.

#spcpaacademics #SPCPA #saintpaulconservatory
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Juniors in AP Lang with Ms. Sekelsky celebrated the end of their unit with a Gatsby-themed party. The students shared their literary analysis projects and drank punch, listened to jazz, and played games. 

#spcpaacademics #spcpa #saintpaulconservatoryImage attachmentImage attachment+1Image attachment

Last night, our Independent Research & Design seniors presented at the inaugural SPCPA Academic Symposium. Their displays and formal presentations feature a variety of interests from zombies to Seattle grunge to the intersection of journalism and legal precedent. Come check out many of their tri-folds in Room 103!

#spcpaacademics
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Last night, our Independent Research & Design seniors presented at the inaugural SPCPA Academic Symposium. Their displays and formal presentations feature a variety of interests from zombies to Seattle grunge to the intersection of journalism and legal precedent. Come check out many of their tri-folds in Room 103!

#spcpaacademicsImage attachmentImage attachment+1Image attachment

Last night, 19 10th and 11th graders were inducted into National Honor Society! These students have demonstrated excellence in academics, service to their communities, and leadership around SPCPA. Please join us in celebrating these students, and a special thanks to all the current NHS members who helped induct this new cohort!

#spcpaacademics #SPCPA #saintpaulconservatory
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Last night, 19 10th and 11th graders were inducted into National Honor Society! These students have demonstrated excellence in academics, service to their communities, and leadership around SPCPA. Please join us in celebrating these students, and a special thanks to all the current NHS members who helped induct this new cohort!

#spcpaacademics #spcpa #saintpaulconservatoryImage attachment

3 CommentsComment on Facebook

Congratulations everyone!!

So proud of these kids (and not just because one of them is mine)!

Congratulations one and all!

Seniors in Research and Design pose during an Unbirthday Party to celebrate everyone's momentous 18th birthdays. Fun hats were highly encouraged.

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Seniors in Research and Design pose during an Unbirthday Party to celebrate everyones momentous 18th birthdays. Fun hats were highly encouraged.

#spcpaacademicsImage attachment

TONIGHT! SPCPA Seniors are hosting information tables to share their knowledge and experiences on postsecondary planning and college applications. Not sure if college is right for you? Come check out some options and chat with students about alternative pathways.

#spcpaacademics #spcpaarts
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TONIGHT!  SPCPA Seniors are hosting information tables to share their knowledge and experiences on postsecondary planning and college applications. Not sure if college is right for you? Come check out some options and chat with students about alternative pathways.

#spcpaacademics #spcpaarts
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